Leadership change at A*Star, Singapore

16 Jul 2012, BioSpectrum Bureau , BioSpectrum

Singapore: Professor Low Teck Seng, managing director of the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), will be appointed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Research Foundation (NRF), Prime Minister's Office, when current CEO Dr Francis Yeoh steps down after six years. Dr Yeoh will remain with NRF as adviser.

Dr Raj Thampuran, A*STAR's Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) Executive Director (ED), will succeed Prof Low as MD of A*STAR while remaining as ED SERC. Dr Thampuran will also be appointed to the Board of A*STAR. All the appointments will be effective on 20 Jul 2012.

Thanking Dr Yeoh for his contributions, Ms Yong Ying-I, permanent secretary (National Research and Development), Prime Minister's Office, said, "As founding CEO, Dr Yeoh developed NRF very rapidly in the first phase of NRF's development. He was instrumental in strengthening Singapore's R&D capabilities. Our dynamic R&D landscape today, with a much bigger ecosystem of more research-intensive universities, top research institutes and international research collaborations, owes much to his drive and determination."

"I am delighted to welcome Prof Low Teck Seng to NRF. With his strong academic and scientific credentials, as well as his leadership and managerial experience, I am confident that Teck Seng will be able to take NRF forward in the next stage of our development, to bring R&D leaders across Singapore together on board an even stronger and more coherent national strategy and to better govern and manage the research programmes we fund," she added.

Mr Lim Chuan Poh, chairman of A*STAR, said, "I would like to especially thank Teck Seng for his contributions and leadership during his time with A*STAR. He has worked hard to bring about greater organisational coherence and alignment as well as enhancing administrative excellence. I wish him all the best in his new appointment at the National Research Foundation, where I'm sure he will continue to help shape the research landscape of Singapore.

"I look forward to Raj taking on the role of Managing Director. Raj has been with A*STAR for more than 10 years and has held several key appointments at A*STAR. His familiarity with A*STAR, vast corporate experience and distinguished career in research will stand him in good stead to take on this new role," Mr Lim added.

Mrs Ow Foong Pheng, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, added, "I would like to thank Teck Seng for his contributions to A*STAR and the R&D landscape. Under Teck Seng's stewardship, A*STAR has forged many collaborations with its partners in both the public and private sectors, while continuing to deliver excellent science. I look forward to working with Raj as MD of A*STAR and am confident that he will be able to steer A*STAR to the forefront of R&D."

"These leadership changes will allow us to continue harnessing the collective effort of our R&D agencies to boost research, innovation and enterprise (RIE) under the RIE2015 plan," she added.